From the date of its inception, the Las Vegas Grand Prix has done its fair bit to drive American fans towards the pinnacle of MotorRacing especially in this post Drive To Survive age, where one fan too many have made F1 a passionate talking point. And while it’s great for the sport’s growth in that a certain Kimi Raikkonen once said (you would rather have fans, than not to have), the Vegas Grand Prix also has its fair share of critics. But obviously! If you thought the layout of the track was a bit of an understudy on how to hang a pig upside down, there are more interesting things about the 50-lap circuit whose warm temperatures would not exactly impress Lapland fans in Finland (or around the world). Carlos Sainz once had to begin a horrendous race weekend, that too, in 2023 itself (the venue’s maiden F1 run) owing to a loose metal his Ferrari ran over- and suffered excessive damage for. This was the maiden race weekend at Vegas’s first practice session and resultantly, a manhole cover had to be fixed, not that it wasn’t, eventually. But for a race weekend that’s been branded on the lines of being some F1 extravaganza, and at a venue also known for its sunset strip, lackadaisical safety measures such as Sainz’s possible ‘could-be-dangerous’ run could have stripped Las Vegas of the salubrious adjectives that are anointed to the venue. And why? For basic safety standards weren’t met, which in some cases, could lead to extreme end results. Anyhow, the racing track has seen plenty of drama already, a bit like Baku, which though with a different set up and track layout, has seldom been shy of drama, ever since its maiden run, circa 2017. But is there only drama and no thrills at Vegas? Anything but.
If this year’s double McLaren disqualification isn’t enough; then Lewis Hamilton’s pathetic qualification and later, Ferrari’s decent race result in 2025 was thrilling enough for fans who may still be roaring with the idea of seeing a red letter day, perhaps. And why would you blame anyone? Hope is a strong and serious word and perhaps the drug we need in times mired with dubious vaccine shots and whatnot. Verstappen’s mega win in the first ever run (2023) and the one as seen a few hours ago, have only cemented the Las Vegas Grand Prix’s reputation as a venue where one can expect dominant drives and perhaps even unexpected results. Forget not Williams’ Sainz’s smooth operation during his P3 in qualifying and then a very decent fifth in the end. Having said that, which are the F1 race winners as on date at the Las Vegas Grand Prix, where splendour, style and speed mix so effortlessly?
Formula 1 Drivers To Have Las Vegas Grand Prix race since its inception
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